The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-01

SpTln2. AIb6E tue SdluldblOuS uC oShCO
why Miss Iris was not the third that day,
| as in all classic lore the sisters always ap-
peared ia threes or mines. So" l an
swered, "she is with mamma to-day, doing
| the family charity
81 beg your pardon!" he said.
"Making visits, you know, on our poor
people and in the hospitals. Mamma has
done it since time began, and thinks it part
Of our education"
80, indeed. And she spends much time
| that way!" he asked.
1--WE take turns with mamma every other
morning. Thursday is our Flower Mission
| day. 1t is my turn Thursday"
what lovely life" he said. "One
makes sort Of expiation in that way for
having more than ones equity in this
worlds blessings, as we phrase it. What
a lovely nature that finds its pleasure in
such workr' And then l was sure it was
Iris to whom Mr.. Poindexter was attracted.
He went on with US a little way; and as /
looked up at his serious, proud face, and
saw anew his lofty stature and bearing, l
couldn't help admiring him little on my
own account, and wishing it had been who
had been out with mamma that morning,
and had been found on the angelic business.
But then. reflected, if had been should
not have had the present bliss of being in
his society and making my poor little mark.
And / reflected, too, how mamma would
have despised me if she could have known
my state of mind. And yet l knew very
well that was not in the least affected by
any personal power of Mr.. Pondexter; it
was the power of his bank account, of his
position, of his house in town, of Poindexter
Place, that moved me- and that Iconfess-
But Just as was going on in this way In
my thoughts We were crossing King street,
on the separate fag-stones, side by side,
and Mr.. Poindexter's head was bent TO hear
what Prim was saying, and l was looking
at them, and all in heartbeat, as you may
say, and before we heard sound, two
huge horses heads were rearing over our
shoulders, and four great shining forefeet
were paving the air, and Prim had slipped
and fallen and was under them.
never admired any one so much in all
my life-although l was too frightened to
know it-as l did Mr.. Poindexter at that
moment, when with his figure flung to its
full height and his face white and fixed, he
grasped those horses by the brides and
held them and forced them back with a
perfectly gigantic strength, before the
driver checked them, too, while some one
Pm not sure l don't know who-puled
Prim, who had tainted, out of the way, and
l was screaming at the top OF my voice
Then Mr.. Poindexter called a coach and
drove home with US, it seemed to me, while
was crying over Prim, as fast as the wind
blows over the top of Mount Washington.
But as fast as we drove, the news of what
had happened was before us, and mamma
was rushing to the door: she was awfully
fond of Prim, and never made any secret
oF Priun urn har comfort and hor 6arl-
ing. And when Prim, pale and teary, had
flung herself into mammals arms, and
mamma had exclaimed and kissed her, and
cried over her as if there wasn't another
person in the world, suddenly she tore her
self away, the tears still pouring over her
flushed face, her eyes all suffused with
them till they looked like melted sapphires,
and ran to Mr.. Poindexter and seized his
hand in both hers. co." she cried, ''you
have saved to me the dearest thing / have
How can l ever thank youE'
81 know a way" Mr.. Poindexter mur-
INJURED, and murmured so low that guessed
rather than heard what he said.
"Ahar' thought L to myself, as helped
Prim, who was considerably torn and
soiled as to her garments, from the room,
snow am absolutely sure he is going to
ask mamma for Prim. Itwont make much
odds about her new spring suits being
ruined by those hoofs; there'll be wedding
garments presently. Well, l don't care.
shall have just as good times in Poindexter
Place as if it were mine; and I've no doubt
that some of the PondeXter splendor will
overflow on me from PRINTS pin-money"
And as afterward, looking from the win
dow, l saw mamma and Mr.. Poindexter
pacing up and down the little garden-place
where the grass was just greening and the
crocuses blooming out, l made no doubt
that he was arranging with mamma the
settlements to be made on Prim; all the
surer when, as he was going away, he took
off his hat and bent as Sir Lancelot might
have done, and kissed that white hand o f
hers.
THAT settles it." said l. "And I'm sure
Pm relieved, Prim, on the whole, that it,
not who have to play Esther to Ahasue-
rus. And l must say / think you'll do
credit to your position, your such pretty
little pale thing with your black hair and
long eyelashes, and you'll be so like lady
of romance in your great big house, and
your big carriage, and in your evening
toilettes just a-glitter with diamonds"
80, that-that isn't the way to look at
itr' cried Prim 'I-rm afraid we're
very mercenary for young girls"
I'VE have to be-" said Iris. "Papa's
money, now that gowns and things have
become so much more costly, is just next to
nothing and I'm tired into my soul of turn
lug dresses and retrimmlng hats"
For all that said Prim, sit isn't pleas
ant to think you're really, after all is said,
doing no more than fixing price on your
self. And-and the fact is, he's very
splendid, and all that but | don't see how
any one can be in lOve with Mr.. Poindexter.'
II don't know" said Iris. hesitatingly
''Well," said /, 'as l said before, that's
because we never are able even to get ac-
quainted with him. How can people be in
love with person when they're not &C
quainted; and how can they get acquainted
with person when the fond mamma is al
ways in the foreground, talking Greek
choruses, or German music or Early En-
glsh art should like to know! The mo-
ment that any one gets talking to US freely,
and we're going on about the other girls, or
the favorite actor, or which opera we like
best, or the last fashion, and singing
snatches of the Gilbert and Sullivan and
Offenbach things, in glides mamma, like the
Queen of Hearts after her tarts, and pres
emily the conversation is all up on the
Browning plane, or the humanities or poll
tics, and we're no better than dummies"
''What are the humanities, Suel'
"PshawI"
"Well, do wonder" said Prim, "what |
made mamma so very brilliant, and US such |
dunces!"
You're not, Prim. You're awfully en-
gaging; you know you are, " said Iris. "And |
as for us-why, mamma just absorbed it all |
herself. It's queer; she doesn't even say, |